ANZAC Newsletter - RAAMC Association

After I had worked in the cannery for about 6 months
the opportunity came to do a bricklaying course through
the Repatriation Scheme. I was accepted and completed
my course after 3 years of training.
I “laid bricks” in many country towns like Leeton,
Wagga Wagga, Hillston, Yass, Griffith, Wollongong and
also in Sydney.
It was during this time I got friendly with a girl from
Wollongong, named Mary Wheatley. She and some of
her girlfriends used to come to Leeton during the fruit
season and work in the cannery.
We fell in love with each other and got married in her
home town of Wollongong on 7th December 1957.
We eventually moved to Campbelltown and built our
home, where we raised our two daughters, Kerrie and
Tracey. We lived in Campbelltown for 30 Years.
I played and coached Aussie Rules in Leeton and
Sydney and I was one of 3 men who started the AFL in
Campbelltown in 1973.
Nearing the end of my working life, Mary and I were
looking for a place to retire. Our two “girls” were married
and settling into their own family pattern and we had
visited areas down the South Coast and then a friend of
ours, Bob Brimmer, from Campbelltown had moved to a
place called Lemon Tree Passage in Port Stephens so we
went up there to have a look around.
When we visited the area—that was it! We both knew
this was the place we would retire to—I immediately
purchased a block of land at 10 Boyd Avenue. We
eventually moved here in 1989 and “settled in” very
nicely.
We had bought a small campervan which we used
very frequently—just visiting relatives and friends or
camping at various places. I bought a small boat to do
fishing and enjoyed taking my grandchildren out for a
fish whenever the occasion arose.
Mary loved her garden. She won many Garden
Competitions in our area, and we always had fruit trees.
She joined the Women’s Auxiliary of the Sub Branch and
was their treasurer for some years. I had begun lawn
bowls and was also a member of our local Sub Branch.
Sadly, Mary got sick and eventually passed away in
2009. My family have been very supportive and caring.
This has been a great help.
We have made a lot of friends since we moved up
here and although our home is “up for sale” at present, I
will make up my mind what my final move will be—
when our home sells.
Neil Armstrong’s (Astronaut) Secret REVEALED
(With kind thanks to member, James Jordan, by email, and supposedly a TRUE STORY)
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong was the com -
mander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module and the FIRST
person to set foot on the MOON.
Those who witnessed this monumental event may
recall his now very famous words, heard and seen
over TV screens and radio, by millions, right around
the world…”That’s one small step for man, one giant
leap for mankind”.
But what we did not know about for a long time,
was this remark, heard by NASA as Neil re-entered the
Landing Module…”Good Luck, Mr. Gorsky”.
Many at NASA thought it was a casual remark con -
cerning a rival Soviet cosmonaut, but on checking
they found no such explanation. Neil refused to
explain to all and sundry why he uttered those words
and what it meant. When asked he would just smile.
Then in July, 1995, in Tampa Bay, Florida, while
answering questions following a speech he gave, a
reporter brought up this 26-year-old question.
It seems Mr. Gorsky was a real person but was now
deceased and Neil felt he could now answer
the question.
Neil said that in 1938, when he was just a kid in a
small mid-western town, he was playing baseball
with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit the ball
into their neighbour’s (Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky) yard and
it landed by their bedroom window.
When Neil leaned down to retrieve the ball he
heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky …”Sex! You
want sex? You’ll get sex when the kid next door walks on
the moon”!
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